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San Jose Looks At Testing Body Cameras For Police

SAN JOSE (CBS SF)— San Jose police could soon be testing body worn cameras again after two previous roll outs never got beyond the pilot stage.

Councilman Ash Kalra, who supports the use of the cameras thinks they can be useful in settling disputes.

"Body-worn cameras is just one more tool for training purposes and ultimately for evidence documentation. Frankly, body-worn cameras, more often than not, are going to find that complaints against our officers are factually not correct. So there's an opportunity to protect police officers," he said.

While the jury is still out on whether or not police wearing cameras would be a good thing; a San Jose police officer who did not give his name told KCBS he would have no problem with it. He said the technology would only assist in the modern age.

Independent police auditor LaDoris Cordell has been calling on the department to put cameras on officers for three years.

"Cellphones have changed policing forever.And since the public can record the police, the police should record what they do," Cordell told KPIX 5.

The plan is to have a dozen officers test the cameras over a four-month period.

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